Asked about Trump's success
in the polls, Bush replied: "I don't know if he's having success. We'll
see in the long haul."

Bush was then pressed if he
felt Trump's candidacy was harming the broader Republican Party.
He declined to answer.

"I've already stated my views about Donald Trump," he said.

With some light prodding, Bush said he wouldn't be drawn into a
"food fight" with someone who won't win the election.

"I'm done. I'm through. I gave my views. I just think that we
need to be much more hopeful and optimistic about our ideology,"
he continued. "We should
focus on that and not get into a food fight that only brings
energy to someone who I doubt will be president and is not a
constructive force for our party."

Trump has been the focus of the
presidential race since his June 16 campaign kickoff, when he
raged against the Mexican government for sending "rapists" and
other criminals to the US. Several of Trump's GOP rivals have
since described his remarks as inappropriate and Bush previously
said Trump's comments don't
represent the Republican Party.

For his part, Trump has had
plenty to say about Bush, whom he has repeatedly assailed both on
the campaign trail and on Twitter:

Jeb's brother George insisted on a $100,000 fee and $20,000 for a private jet to speak at a charity for severely wounded vets. Not nice!